Process of Elimination
by tumble and fall
Summary: Derek and Spencer take Henry and Jack to play laser tag. one-shot


"Reid, have you ever _played_ laser tag before?"

"It's all angles and trajectories; I can't possibly see how it could be that difficult, Morgan. Besides, how different will it be from firing a gun? We can both do that."

"Yes, but your aim is awful."

"That comment was just plain mean."

Derek Morgan groaned internally as he quickly checked up on the two youngsters in the back seat. Due to a conference which required their boss, Aaron Hotchner and the FBI's media liaison, Jennifer Jareau, he and the Behavioural Analysis Unit's resident genius, Doctor Spencer Reid, had been assigned to babysitting duties. Jennifer had been a bit reluctant at first to allow the two complete care of her son, Henry, but after some convincing by her partner, Will, and a sheepish agreement made by Spencer not to make him watch Doctor Who, the two had left, Will for his work, Jennifer for the conference.

"If he comes back singing that theme tune, I will personally make sure you don't live to see your thirty-second birthday," had been Jennifer's parting words to Spencer, the look in her eyes convincing him that she wasn't joking.

After picking up Henry, it had been straight to Aaron's apartment to pick up Jack. Despite being older than Henry, the pair had hit it off the first time they had met, Jennifer and Aaron making regular playdates for the two boys. The minute Jack had entered the car, complete with cape and glow-in-the-dark lightsaber, the two had started chattering away excitedly, neither of the two adulats able to make out their conversation.

It had been on the way back to Derek's house that Spencer had suggested going somewhere. The movie theater was closed for renovations, and the local soft play idea was snubbed by both boys. Spencer had sat up suddenly, eyes bright as he suggested laser tag. Both boys had shrieked with excitement, leaving Derek no choice but to turn the car around at the closest available turn.

Pulling into the car park, Derek cast a sideways glance at the man sat beside him. With an I.Q of 187 and three doctoral degrees, the last thing Derek imagined was the look of pure excitement across Spencer's face.

"This is going to be _so _fun!" he said as he pushed the door open, hopping to the ground.

Five minutes later, the two agents and their respective charges were stood at the entrance desk.

"Two adults and two children for an elimination match, please," Derek said, keeping a subtle eye on the three kids, albeit one a lot older than the others, waiting expectantly. The woman handed Derek his change, and pointed to the left.

"Changing rooms are that way; you'll find all of the equipment you need in there. You get five rounds, and you'll be in teams of two," she explained, watching the Spencer and the two children disappear into the changing rooms with a raised eyebrow.

"He doesn't get out much," Derek explained with a grin, "Thank you."

By the time Derek appeared in the changing rooms, all three of his companions were sitting down, exchanging their shoes for the ones supplied by the arena.

"Okay, so how about we do me and Jack versus you and Henry," Derek suggested, but Henry frowned and shook his head.

"Henry and Jack vessus Derk and Spence," he insisted, using his mother's nickname for Spencer and mis-pronouncing Derek's name, something the five-year old did often. Derek glanced at Spencer, who shrugged.

"Okay, it's on. What colour do you guys wanna be, red or blue?" Derek asked. Both boys chose blue, which automatically made he and Spencer red. They all donned their equipment, Jack making a wry comment about how he felt like a storm trooper, Spencer agreeing avidly with this. All four members of the small group entered the arena at the same time, splitting up instantly.

"Stay with me," Derek warned his partner, and Spencer nodded, grinning like a cat that got all of the cream. The two men lifted their weapons, waiting for the horn to signify the beginning of the game.

The war was on.

'''''

Half an hour later, they were moving onto their fourth round, and the two FBI agents were losing two rounds to one.

"Go easy on them," Derek had instructed before they began, but after the second loss, they had both stopped playing nice. They had won the last round merely by a stroke of luck. Spencer had fired at Jack, completely missing and hitting Henry, who had been lurking behind one of the glowing pillars in the vast arena. This had knocked Henry out of the round, and Derek had quickly finished Jackoff with a sneak attack. The two boys had taken it in fair play, shaking their opponents' hands before embarking on the fourth round, Jack's Darth Vader cape fluttering as he leapt to safety.

Spencer was walking close to the walls, watching Derek for any sign of attack. The young agent had never been the best shot, as Derek had pointed out that morning, but working out the trajectory of a laser beam was more his area of expertise, and he was finding this 'physics-filled game', as he had called it a lot more fun than chasing down a live suspect with a revolver.

Derek, on the other hand, was rather annoyed that he was being beaten, especially by two children with a collective age of thirteen, and with one of them dressed up as a character from Star Wars, he thought it would be an easy war to win.

Evidently not.

Spencer yelled in shock, prompting Derek to turn around to check on the status of his friend. He groaned audibly when he saw that every light on Spencer's vest was out, declaring him unfit for the rest of the round. Without warning all three lights on Derek's vest went out as well, and he turned again to be faced with none other than Jack Hotchner, cape floating around his ankles.

"Daddy always says to never turn your back on someone if you hear shots being fired," Jack said matter-of-factly, before Henry ran over.

"We won again!" the young boy said excitably as Spencer scowled, glancing at Derek.

"Okay, next round!" Jack grinned, disappearing from view once again. Derek set his jaw and looked at Spencer.

"This time, we annihilate them," he muttered, and Spencer nodded in agreement, determination in his eyes.

'''''

When Jennifer and Aaron came to pick up their offspring, the four were eating pizza in Derek's apartment. Jack and Henry abandoned the greasy food in favour of their respective parent's arms, and Derek stood up to greet them.

"Daddy, daddy, we went and played laser tag!" Jack shrieked excitedly as Aaron knelt down to his son's level.

"Laser tag? Wow, maybe I should leave you with these two more often," Aaron joked.

"And we won, we won!" Henry announced, proudly showing Jennifer the plastic gold medal around his neck. Jennifer looked up, noticing Derek's sour expression.

"When did you stop going easy on them?" she asked in amusement. Spencer looked at his feet in embarrassment, and Derek shuffled uncomfortably.

"'Bout round three," he admitted sheepishly. Aaron raised an eyebrow, standing up.

"Two FBI agents with weapons training and guns got beaten at laser tag by two children? At least tell me it was close" he asked, struggling to keep the smile off his face.

"If losing four games to one is counted as close, then yep. It was close," Spencer muttered. Aaron couldn't contain it any longer, and both he and Jennifer burst into peals of laughter. Spencer scowled again, something he had done quite a few times that day, and Derek muttered something under his breath.

"Anyway," Jennifer chuckled once she had calmed down, "We had better get you home!"

Picking up Henry, she followed Aaron out of the door.

"Thank you for babysitting these two," she started, "even if you are losers."

And with that she ran from the room laughing, leaving the two men to pick up the pieces of their shattered egos.

* * *

A/N: I had the sudden urge to write something cute, and this is the result. Inspired by this post. :3


End file.
